Ryan S. ClarkNHL Reporter12:56 PM ET2 Minute Read
The St. Louis Blues have traded winger Ivan Barbashev to the Vegas Golden Knights in a move that sees two teams going in different directions.
In return, the Blues pick up potential Zach Dean. A first-round pick for the Golden Knights in 2021, the centerman has 24 goals and 49 points in 50 games in the QMJHL this season.
When the Golden Knights announced on February 1 that captain and left winger Mark Stone was due to undergo a second back surgery in less than a year, the potential search for a two-way forward in the top nine became a priority. Stone, who was injured on Jan. 12, was initially ruled out indefinitely and the team later moved him to long-term injured reserve.
Sending Stone and his $9.5 million cap hit to LTIR in addition to trading Shea Weber’s contract last week gave the Golden Knights cap room to make a move. Vegas has gone 7-5-4 since Stone left the lineup, but they’ve won six of their last eight games.
Enter Barbashev. The 27-year-old has 10 goals and 29 points in 59 games this season. He is expected to finish this season with 14 goals and 40 points after hitting a career-high 26 goals and 60 points in 2021-22. Barbashev has also scored nine points in 50 playoff games. He is also a pending unrestricted free agent who is on the last of a two-year contract carrying a $2.25 million cap hit.
Barbashev’s arrival gives the Golden Knights a winger capable of operating on both penalties and power play. He also brings depth to a team that started Sunday with the best record in the Western Conference. Vegas has a two-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings and is one of four Pacific teams separated by six points at the top. They also have a two-point lead over the central leaders Dallas Stars.
Barbashev was one of the last few players left from the Blues’ Stanley Cup team in 2018-19 and his departure is the latest signal that St. Louis is a team in transition from what it was in four made the playoffs for consecutive seasons. It started on Feb. 9 when the Blues traded All-Star winger Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the New York Rangers traded.
On February 18, the Blues sent captain Ryan O’Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a three-team deal. St. Louis also traded forward Noel Acciari in the deal in exchange for forward Adam Gaudette, Mikhail Abramov, 2023 first-round pick of the Leafs, 2023 third-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, and 2024 Leafs second-round pick .round selection.
There’s quite a bit of draft capital for the Blues, who started more than 12 points behind the last wildcard spot on Sunday. Before the Barbashev trade, the Blues had nine picks in this year’s draft (three in the first round), in addition to nine picks for 2024.